Would like an honest comparison between Carnival and Norwegian

[Tampa cruiser1963]

I found a nice deal on a 2 day cruise to nowhere on the Norwegian Dawn out of my home port in Tampa. It leaves on a Friday afternoon and comes back on Sunday, so minimal vacation days are needed for me to do this. I have booked it for that reason and to try out another line. I am very satisfied with Carnival so far, but I do like to test the waters.

 

What differences can I expect?

 

Thanks!

[soccersharon]

Looking forward to the answers as well. We're trying the Epic in November.

 

I think we'll like NCL's "Freestyle" concept, and I've heard good things about the buffet food, but mixed reviews on the MDR food. Food is very subjective, so I take everything I read with a grain of salt.

 

I regularly pop over to the NCL board. Lots of good information over there :)

[wanderingjew]

I have 99 cruises with 8 more booked 5 on NCL 1 each on CCL,RCCL & princess diamond on CCL, Platinum on RCCL & NCL,elite on Princess

[alrichards4003]

This is from Breeze review. We live in Tampa and it is great to cruise out of Tampa, we were on the Dawn in Feb. I just think 2 days is too sort, but its better than being at work:

 

 

We had one cruise on Royal which we were not crazy about, we had 2 on princess, which were fine, but now there is no smoking on the balcony. I am thinking about Quantum, but would want more details released before I book, and it is possible we will book princess in the future and DH will have to just go to the open deck for his morning and evening cigarette. Right now we like CCL and NCL and that is where we take all of our cruises. I thought I would do a comparison of the lines. Obviously you can't compare an older CCL ship to a newer NCL ship or vice versa.

 

Favorite Ship: NCL Epic and CCL Breeze. Epic beats out the Breeze, Blue Man Group, Legends in Concert, Bowling, Martini tastings.

 

Rooms: CCL. The rooms on NCL are smaller, not dramatically but still, we like the space to move around. When we were on the Dawn in Feb. only one outlet, I thought CCL had at least 2 on every room we have been on.

 

Entertainment: Tie. On CCL we like the outdoor screen and the comedians, we were not able to get into comedy show on breeze. NCL on Epic has blue man group etc, but the shows on other ships are enjoyable, but no outdoor screen.

 

Pizza: CCL. The pizza is 24 hours on both, which is great. NCL has the pizza delivered and it costs $5, it is a full size pizza and enough to share, but they only have cheese, pepperoni and veg. but the flavor is kind of meh. You have to stand in line for CCL, but better flavor, more choices and it is free.

 

Buffet: NCL. NCL buffet is open more hours, loved their burgers in the afternoon. On Dawn the seating area was never crowded, the tables were preset with napkins and silverware and condiments, there was less to juggle, there also seemed like there was more space to walk.

 

Specialty restaurants: CCL for Italian and Steakhouse, NCL for others. Steakhouse and Italian on CCL were better, but as French food is a favorite, the French restaurant and Brazillian steakhouse on NCL.

 

Room Service: NCL. Liked being able to get a cheeseburger through room service.

 

MDR Food: Thought they were both good, wished both lines would change their menus more often for frequent cruisers.

 

24 hour restaurant: NCL. CCL doesn't have one, and its not that you will starve, but the 24 hour restaurant on NCL are nice.

 

Formal Night: NCL. They don't have one. If we go on CCL we dress up but on NCL we don't.

 

Casino: CCL. You can put money from S&S to machine, I have heard they are doing this on Breakaway. But I have gotten free drink card from CCL, but seems only about half the points on NCL cards.

 

Trivia: CCL. The last time we were on NCL they had one regular game and everything else was progressive and I did not want to commit to going to trivia every night at the same time. On Breeze they had more trivia in 2 days than NCL did on the whole cruise.

 

Martini Tasting: NCL. CCL has four mini martinis for $17 among a choice of 8. NCL has a martini tasting for 4-5 martinis for $15, a bartender gives history of martini, tells jokes and it is a big social event. They also have margarita, wine and beer tastings.

 

Thermal Suite: NCL. Even on the older ships I prefer the thermal suites on NCL.

 

Outdoor movie theater: CCL. NCL has an outdoor screen at spice on Epic, but not on their other ships.

 

Deal or No Deal. This is only on NCL, but it was a good time and we won a picture. I guess the Hasbro game would be similar, but I don't think they have the same kind of cash prizes.

 

Itinerary's: CCL for Caribbean. NCL Alaska and Pacific Coast. Now that CCL pulled out of Europe for next year that would also go to NCL. CCL goes to a larger variety of ports in the caribbean.

 

Both of the lines are great and I think the prices are comparable, it just depends on what features are most important to you.

[NYcruzzer]

I am Platinum on Carnival and NCL. I find the quality of the food equal on both. A nod does go to NCL for entertainment. Don't really feel a 2 night CTN is a fair voyage to compare with longer Carnival voyages. On a CTN you will find everyone cramming in as much fun as possible in 48 hours. Everything including the casino, shops, and bars will be packed. I also don't believe NCL offer room service on CTN's I have done a few CTN's from NYC and had a blast. If you go, have a great cruise.

[dolittle]

Have done both I would say it is fair to note that the M.D. food on N.C.L. is a little below Carnival . However the sell-up venues are very cheap unlike other lines . We did not think that we would care for N.C.L. (booked for the ports)but found they innovate in small and large ways . I would give Carnival the edge D.W. would give N.C.L. the edge that makes it a push.It is more than likely not fair to compare the Epic to there other ships

[vols_159]

LOVED the Dawn...... Be sure to try Moderno.. 2 night cruise would be like going to the beach for a weekend.. cant compare it to a real cruise

 

YOu will only have 1 full day on the ship ...

[tree.critter]

Don't really feel a 2 night CTN is a fair voyage to compare with longer Carnival voyages. On a CTN you will find everyone cramming in as much fun as possible in 48 hours.

 

I haven't sailed NCL yet but this was my first thought also. I'd still go on the 2 day for sure, weekend getaway, perfect.... just wouldn't make major decision about any cruiseline based on such a short cruise though. Have fun and give us at least a quickie review!

[scm200]

The extra cost restaurants are fun, but it brings up the cost quickly. I like the MDR better on Carnival. The activities are good on the newer NCL ships but the Dawn does not have those. Have fun, it's a 2 day party. The 24 hour resturant on Dawn is good

Edited June 11, 2013 by scm200

[awatt]

The 2 night cruses are a little different on NCL. More of a party atmosphere , bars and dining venues seemed more crowded, chaotic than a 7 day. Love the Dawn, one of my favorite ships ever.

[soccersharon]

I have 99 cruises with 8 more booked 5 on NCL 1 each on CCL,RCCL & princess diamond on CCL, Platinum on RCCL & NCL,elite on Princess

 

So with that said, Dave, what are your thoughts on CCL v NCL :)

[Cruizinman]

About the same, really. ;)

[tootsiescurly]

NCL - Haven was nice. Concierge was useless. Breakfast was good in the Haven Club, as was the private pool. Upsell restaurants were not worth the extra money. Blue Man Group was outstanding!!! Carnival food is better.

[rch3]

So with that said, Dave, what are your thoughts on CCL v NCL :)

 

Haha. My thought exactly.

[Waterloomarc]

Well I've only been on NCL once and 6 on Carnival. I'd put Carnival's food ahead with (and I'm the definite minority here) NCL having better desserts. I find virtually all carnival's desserts too sweet.

 

Entertainment: NCL ate Carnival's lunch and stuffed it in a locker.

 

I found NCL decor more pleasing than any CCL ship I've been on and found the staff more friendly. This was probably this biggest difference. I'm not one that likes to "connect" with the staff, I have no idea what any of the names of stewards or waiters we've ever had are but the staff just felt more relaxed and genuine on NCL. It made the atmosphere better.

 

After I say all that... I'd say they're more alike than different. I've got our next booked on NCL but looking at CCL again for the one after that. Variety is the spice of life after all.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Luvtoeat]

We have been on 6 Carnival cruises and and 1 NCL cruise (was on the Dawn for an 11 night Caribbean cruise). Overall, I give Carnival a slight edge but I really enjoyed the NCL freestyle concept as having to pack less clothes and not getting dressed up was great. The cabin on NCL was a little smaller but they had a much better variety of food on the lunch buffet.

[halos]

I can't say anything about a CTN....I imagine they are quite different in all apsects. The shortest NCL cruise I have ever taken was a 5 night sailing.

My thoughts on NCL are this:

 

Crew and Officers totally better in all aspects. CS is better. Issues/complaints taken care of immediately. You will run into officers (hotel director/cruise director) numerous times on a sailing and they will inquire about your experience and ask if there is anything they can do for you. if you have any request, they take care of it.

 

Entertainment hands down better...more variety

 

Better deck parties (by far)

 

Live music...lots of it.

 

Food: CCL used to be better. Now they are not. Choices abound on NCL...more free restaurants to dine in and optional surcharge restaurants are numerous.

 

I think it takes a little adjustment to get used to Freestyle dining. It took me one full cruise. Now, I prefer it and it is better than Anytime dining on CCL. In fact, I dislike anytime dining so much on CCL that we usually stick with traditional if we cruise CCL.

 

NCL had great CC Meet & Greets (don't think they'll do this on a 2-nighter)

Edited June 12, 2013 by halos

[1PCcruiser]

I know i could research and find answer to my question but i will be lazy...what is the date of this ctn?

[david_sobe]

I dont think a 2 day cruise can give you a fair comparison for a cruise line. I would cruise any cruise line for only 2 days. When you spend an entire week on board, that is what gives you a better sense of some differences between the lines.

 

In 2 days, I dont think you will notice major differences with any cruise line. This is for many reasons. For such short cruises, the ship is not going to spend money on big major shows. So you will get stuck with basic entertainment. There also wont be any specials like alcohol deals, etc.

So I dont think it would be fair to judge any cruise line on a 2 day, one night cruise.

[nydney1]

You can see below that I am mainly a CCL cruiser but I have a few NCL's thrown in.

 

Although it's been a while here is what I rememeberabout NCL:

 

Negatives:

Rooms are much smaller

TV was a 12 inch TV, ver few stations

Pizza was not availalbe 24/7 only in the Italian resturaunt

Ice cream/Frozen Yogurt not available all the time

Milk was not available at every meal, unless you asked

(Can you tell I have small kids)

 

Positives:

Food was a little better in the buffet

Steakhouse on the Sky was good worth the$25-$35

White Party on Deck was very fun

Very good program if you booked another cruise while on this one

 

We enjoyed NCL, we are just more familiar with CCL. You will have a good time, and I think you will be able to tell if you like it within two days

[AnitaVacation]

We've sailed both...and they are pretty even in the 'bargain for your buck' sorta way....

 

Here are some of my observations...

 

As previously stated by another poster...food is subjective....we have never had a meal that was 'bad' on either cruiseline

 

Carnival has larger/more spacious cabins...better layout? NCL cabins can be tiny, especially on the older ships, so watch what you are booking...

 

NCL wins hands-down in the entertainment category....Carnivals entertainment seems more 'passenger participant' (karaoke, triva, etc), whereas NCL seems to put on more 'shows'

 

I agree with the above poster regarding concierge...uselsss....just another pocket to tip...

 

I loved our cruise on the EPIC.....my husband was not a fan of the cabin layout...

 

Carnivals decor borders on gaudy....especially in the mdr

 

NCL's muster drill was quick and painless....usually held in an indoor venue...Our Carnival experience is usually standing outside, waiting, waiting, waiting....

 

We love the capability of bringing wine onboard with Carnival....and also that we can order bottle(s) of liquor in our cabin...it is a little pricey, but not nearly as pricey as ordering liquor on NCL

 

I think NCL has a better 'points' program for returning customers...I'm already platnium....

 

I really like booking with Carnival's 'early saver' program...NCL does not offer this (yet) and it can be a hassle to get a credit if the price of your cabin drops....but you can take an upgrade if you want...

 

We sail with whichever line offers us the deal we are looking for....

[Karysa]

I sail both but prefer NCL. Freestyle works perfectly for us. I like all the live music on board, including having a band on the pool deck in the afternoons.

[nbsjcruiser]

I found a nice deal on a 2 day cruise to nowhere on the Norwegian Dawn out of my home port in Tampa. It leaves on a Friday afternoon and comes back on Sunday, so minimal vacation days are needed for me to do this. I have booked it for that reason and to try out another line. I am very satisfied with Carnival so far, but I do like to test the waters.

 

What differences can I expect?

 

Thanks!

 

They have My Time Dining down to a "T". Hit up a couple specialty restaurants and enjoy. The NCL ships are decorated nicely, along the same vein as RCI. The buffet food is better and the dining room is open on embarkation for lunch so try that for a change. It's quite nice.

[chill6x6]

I found a nice deal on a 2 day cruise to nowhere on the Norwegian Dawn out of my home port in Tampa. It leaves on a Friday afternoon and comes back on Sunday, so minimal vacation days are needed for me to do this. I have booked it for that reason and to try out another line. I am very satisfied with Carnival so far, but I do like to test the waters.

 

What differences can I expect?

 

Thanks!

 

Personally I don't think two days is enough time to find out much about ANYTHING. It took me a couple to days to get into the swing of things on my first Norwegian cruise having only cruised with Carnival before.

 

The only ones that generally complain about Norwegian are those that enjoy traditional, set time dining. If you enjoy "my time" or "anytime" dining, you'll probably be doing cartwheels after your first cruise with NCL. The crew and entertainment are really a step up from CCL.

 

A two day cruise would be fun to get to see the new ship but I really don't think that's enough time to see what it's like to "Cruise Like a Norwegian!" :D

[jaw070701]

I've only been on a CTN on Carnival (the Pride Sandy Cruise) and many NCL cruises. My observations;

 

Food - Carnival has good basic food (think Meat and Potatoes - my 80 year old Dad loved it) but I find that NCL takes more risks. They don't always work but I appreciate the effort to try. I like food and think nothing of making duck breast for a weeknight dinner so I enjoy NCL's MDR and specialties a lot more. Also, the NCL 23 hour diner has much more variety than Carnival's Pizza and Room service only late night.

 

Entertainment - since Jean Ann Ryan left NCl - the show (exept for Epic / Breakaway) are about the same. However, NCL will hold the extra shows like magicans, comedians in the large show room so everyone can see. Carnival - the comedians are in a smaller lounge - can be very hard to get to.

 

Rooms - Carnivals are larger. But I like the NCL bathrooms more - no frisky shower curtain! :eek:

 

There are more points but I think these are the ones most people are interested in.

 

Thanks.

JW